“The way we measure street lighting is still very primitive,” Kumar says

How many cities have a detailed listing with comprehensive information about the current condition of their public street lighting? Probably, only very few cities. The exact location and height of every light point, the expected lifetime, performed illumination time, type of product, type of light source, date of construction, energy demand, and further information can be included. Depending on the size of the city, the development and maintenance of a citywide database of the entire street lighting is extremely time-consuming and costly if it is conducted by authorized inspectors.

“The way we measure street lighting is still very primitive,” Kumar says

Furthermore, fast reactivity on, for example, burned-out lights or the maintenance of light points with an uncertain location and height for the right lift truck results in inefficiency. Are there places where lights are failing? Are there dark areas even if the street lighting is working as intended? Are there places which need additional or less light poles?

It seems there is a more advanced method according to researchers at MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. As described in a recently published study, called Urban Street Lighting Infrastructure Monitoring Using a Mobile Sensor Platform, it is possible to automate the inspection of street lighting with drive-by monitoring.

Monitoring street lighting with car-mounted cameras and sensors

It reminds us of how Google Street View has been created. With digital cameras, light measurements, GPS and sophisticated software, the researchers distinguish between streetlights and other sources of illumination. They also were able to estimate the height of each lamp. By measuring the exact level of illumination, it was possible to determine dark areas and possible lamp outages. In the end, an accurate map and a database have been created which can be send in real time to any position.

An upgrade of old lighting technology to long-lasting LED is much more efficient with this monitoring system. “By comparing quantitative before-and-after data collected by the automated system, the improvements could be analyzed with great accuracy.” MIT states.

The researchers suggest mounting the equipment on city-owned cars, like police cars, buses, or garbage trucks, instead of buying a new fleet. Four field tests have been carried out in Birmingham (UK), Cambridge (Massachusetts) and Malaga and Santander in Spain. After each of these tests, Kumar says, “we would disassemble our entire project, pack it up in a suitcase, and get customs clearance” to move on to the next test.

“One interesting aspect of this work was the use of cameras to estimate the heights of the street lamps. … This type of information would be extremely useful for rapid inventory management,” says Andrew Smyth, a professor of civil engineering and engineering mechanics at Columbia University, who was not involved in this work. “With the general trend to more efficient and controllable LED street lighting systems, an improved knowledge of the current inventory and its effectiveness is extremely valuable. [This information can be used to not only] improve design of entirely new street lighting configurations but also assess the current performance of the existing systems, which may be under- or over-lighting in places.”

30% of roof space as green roofs or a combination of green roofs and solar panels

Green roofs are offering a broad range of advantages in comparison to a roof covering, for example, made of slate or clay. A greater benefit to biodiversity, a contribution to the reduction of a number of polluting air particles, a greater thermal performance and roof insulation, or the important role in reducing urban temperatures are just a few examples.

The San Francisco Planning Department seems to be aware of the advantages of green roofs. Scott Wiener, city supervisor since 2010, introduced a legislation on 6 September 2016. It builds on the solar roof ordinance which has been approved earlier this year and requires green roofs and/or solar panels on new construction projects. Exactly seven days later, the San Francisco Planning Commission approved the Wiener’s offer. “Rooftops are one of the last untapped environmental resources in our growing city, and we need to be strategic about how we activate these spaces,” said Wiener.

According to this new legislation, owners and developers can choose to build 30% of roof space as green roofs, or a combination of green roofs and solar panels. “This legislation arrives as a direct result of the international green roof conference, Cities Alive, which San Francisco co-hosted in the fall of 2013 and the concurrent SPUR-issued policy recommendations in Greener and Better Roofs: A Roadmap for San Francisco.” said Jeff Joslin, Deputy Director of the San Francisco Planning Department. The former legislation required 15% roof space to be set aside for solar panels.

“On behalf of all GRHC members and association partners, congratulations to the City of San Francisco and those who contributed to this policy,” said Jeffrey L. Bruce, board member of the American Society of Irrigation Consultants and Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC). “We look forward to watching San Francisco become a greener, healthier, and more resilient city.”

“It’s been a pleasure working with the city officials, SPUR and other stakeholders to contribute to developing this legislation which recognizes the important contribution green roofs can make to building owners and communities,” said Steven W. Peck, Founder and President of GRHC. “Over the last three years, Green Roofs for Healthy Cities has actively facilitated the development of this legislation with CitiesAlive, technical policy support, as well as providing Green Roof Professional (GRP) training in the marketplace,” he added. “CitiesAlive will be held in Washington, DC this November 1-4, 2016, and Green Roof Professional training is currently scheduled for November 17 to 19, 2016 in San Francisco.”

London's mayor plans to replace all 300 single-deck buses in central London by 2020

London’s problems with air quality aren’t a secret. Hopefully, the new 51-strong fleet of all-electric buses BYD ADL Enviro200EV for London’s routes 507 and 521 contribute to less pollution. By end of 2016, they will go into operation. Together with already running 22 all-electric buses, the entire fleet of electric powered buses up to 73 will be the largest in Europe.

The new single-deck buses are produced in Britain by Chinese company BYD and UK’s biggest bus manufacturer ADL. In order to provide a charging opportunity for phones, 12 seats in each bus are equipped with USB sockets. The first nine vehicles of the all-electric bus fleet were presented at Waterloo Bus Garage on 9 September 2016. But that’s not enough: London’s mayor plans to replace all 300 single-deck buses in central London by 2020. Additionally, all 3,100 double deck buses in the British capital will be hybrid by 2019.

The new all-electric bus fleet is a further step towards the end of conventional diesel buses

To date, 2000 buses, representing 20 percent of the entire London’s bus fleet, are hybrid electric buses. Their batteries can be charged wirelessly during a break at bus terminals. A yearly reduction by 408 tonnes carbon dioxide and by 10 tonnes harmful nitrogen oxides is expected with the help of the new 51 e-buses. Allegedly, a 16-hour ride is possible with one battery charge. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “It’s vital that we act now to clean-up our capital’s toxic air and do everything we can to help prevent the thousands of deaths it causes each year.“

“I’ve set out a comprehensive plan to improve our air, and the transformation of London’s bus fleet will play a key role in making our transport cleaner and healthier. These first two electric bus routes right through the heart of London are another step towards the end of conventional diesel buses on our roads. This will deliver extensive air quality benefits and position us as a true world leader in adopting ultra low emission vehicle technology.” Sadiq Khan adds.

Isbrand Ho, Managing Director of BYD Europe, said: “Today is the culmination of several years of hard work and we are delighted to be here with our partners TfL, Go-Ahead and ADL inaugurating Europe’s largest electric bus fleet. We are proud that the previous largest fleet – of 35 e-buses – was also supplied by BYD to Amsterdam Schiphol airport. In the UK we have a dedicated support team, a new office, a new Country Manager and will shortly be acquiring a workshop and parts store within London. We are in discussion with several potential customers for our electric buses and look forward to helping more operators and their city governments to assist in improving air quality”, he said.

The city of Shenzhen, headquarter of BYD in China, operates the world’s largest electric bus fleet. UK is not the only customer outside of China. Amongst others, BYD sold buses in the United States, Middle East, Canada, Germany, Finland, and Brazil. Another all-electric bus fleet from BYD has been delivered to Amsterdam’s Schipol airport.

First public service of Catalyst E2 expected in 2017 in Los Angeles

The new electrically driven passenger bus Catalyst E2 covers a nominal range of 194–350 miles. The manufacturer Proterra is a Silicon Valley startup which is developing and producing primarily in the US. Catalyst E2, with a storage capacity of 440 – 660 kWh, offers 40 seats and weighs a mere 18 tonnes thanks to the carbon fibre reinforced composite body.

Catalyst E2 achieved 600 miles with one battery charge

The new product line was unveiled on Monday during the American Public Transit Association (APTA) Annual Meeting. One month ago, at Michelin’s Laurens Proving Grounds – an on-vehicle testing facility for North America, the bus was able to cover a distance of 600 miles on a single full charge. This is well above the stated nominal range. However, Catalyst E2’s record has been achieved under test conditions.

Charging process of Proterras Catalyst E2 series (Proterra)

“Proterra’s primary goal has always been to create a purpose-built, high-performance electric vehicle that can serve every single transit route in the United States. Today, with the unveiling of the Catalyst E2 Series, this goal has been achieved,” said Ryan Popple, CEO of Proterra. “The question is no longer who will be an early adopter of this technology, but rather who will be the last to commit to a future of clean, efficient, and sustainable mobility. With the Catalyst E2 offering a no-compromise replacement for all fossil fuel buses, battery-electric vehicles have now broken down the final barrier to widespread market adoption.”

(Proterra)

Up to now, Proterra delivered more than 312 buses to 35 different municipal, university, and commercial transit agencies in North America alone. According to a press release, the annual sales of 2016 are already 220% higher than 2015. Furthermore, the Burlingame-based startup seeks to double its production in 2017 for an expected rising demand.

First public service expected in 2017 in Los Angeles

“We just surpassed one million miles of revenue service with our battery-electric Proterra fleet, and we’re looking forward to many more miles to come. Since our first EV bus procurement with Proterra in 2010, we knew that zero-emission buses were the future of mass transit. Now, with the new Catalyst E2, this vision is a reality. We’re excited by the possibilities of an all-electric future.” says Doran Barnes, Executive Director at Foothill Transit.

First public service expected in 2017 in Los Angeles (Proterra)

The costs for an all-electric bus are still much higher compared to a diesel-powered bus. But low maintenance costs, subsidies, and avoided external costs, such as avoided air and noise pollution, may offset the acquisition costs. Catalyst E2 is yours for $799,000 – more than twice as much as a conventional bus.

Cities around the world are struggling to achieve a balance between the three pillars of sustainability

The world is predominantly urban. More and more people choose cities as a place to live. To be more precise, about 54 percent of the world’s population lives in the cities of this world and the trend continues upwards. It is a huge challenge and we should give a lot of attention to the burning issues, e.g. affordable housing, Green Building or air pollution.

Sustainable Cities Index 2016 ranks 100 of the world’s leading cities

Cities around the world are struggling to achieve a balance in the three pillars of sustainability. The today published study Sustainable Cities Index 2016, compiled for Arcadis by the Centre for Economic and Business Research (Cebr), ranks 100 of the world’s leading cities. Zurich, Singapore and Stockholm are on the top of the overall Sustainable Cities Index.

Overall index rankings 2016 (Arcadis)

John Batten, Global Cities Director at Arcadis says: “Cities have unique identities that are heavily influenced by their cityscape, economy and culture. Some cities, particularly established European cities such as Zurich which tops our index, are positioned within a moderate climate and have an economically balanced population which gives them a clear advantage when it comes to their sustainability. Others have to deal with issues including extreme climates, rapid urbanization and lack of financial resources which can hold them back.”

“However, as our index shows, all have their urban challenges and none of the cities can claim to have earned the title of being a completely sustainable city. For city authorities grappling with their own issues, the opportunity to compare their sustainability with similar cities which are often outside their own countries is an appealing one.” John Batten adds.

European cities dominate top positions – 16 of the 20 leading places

To develop a sustainability ranking of 100 of the world’s leading cities, the Sustainable Cities Index 2016 evaluates cities by examining the condition and performance of each of the three sub-indexes: People, planet and profit. Extremes in each are no exception. There are cities with disproportionately low scores in some indicators but high scores in others. For example, London is well placed for planet (9th) and profit (3rd) but lags behind 36 cities on 37th place when it comes to people.

Batten continues: “Many cities around the world are not effectively balancing these three pillars of sustainability in their communities. This split story is dragging down the sustainability of individual cities across the world. As our report shows, the challenge of putting people at the heart of a city’s sustainability goals is one that many have yet to rise up to meet.”

Comparison around the world - Struggling to achieve a balance in the three pillars of sustainability - CLICK TO ENLARGE (Arcadis)

The index is dominated by Central and Northern European cities in the top positions. The environmental and social pillar are clear challenges for north American cities compared to other advanced economies. The best ranked U.S. city is New York (26th globally), followed by Boston (34th globally). The ranking of Canadian cities is better compared to counterparts from the United States. The profit sub-index seems to be the passion amongst U.S. cities: New York, San Francisco, Washington, Boston, and Denver are placed in the top quarter globally.

Only four African cities are placed in the top 100 of the Sustainable Cities Index 2016

The leader on environmental sustainability in the Middle East is Amman. Muscat is placed in the top ten globally on the people sub-index. Seoul is the leader on the people sub-index in Asia. Only four African cities are placed in the top 100: Cairo (99th globally), Nairobi (98th globally), Cape Town (95th globally) and Johannesburg (90th globally).

Three pillars of sustainability (Arcadis)

In order to calculate the pillar’s score, indicators within each category are averaged. Received percentage scores reflect the place of a city in relation to the others. The list of indicators used in the Sustainable Cities Index 2016 is published in the study. The most changes are made in the sub-index profit. Feedback from the first report from 2015 has been incorporated.

List of indicators used in the sustainable cities index 2016 (Arcadis)